The good folks at Mas de Daumas Gassac have bestowed us with this delicious, organic, comfortably priced wine that smells, tastes and invokes the spirit of Mediterranean France. Based on a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Clairette and Grenache Blanc, the Guilhem blanc begins with a limpid straw-gold color and fresh aromas of lemon oil, melon and flinty minerals. Rich on the attack but immediately countered with lively acidity, the Guilhem blanc offers notes of lemon balm, freshly crushed rosemary and a bristling mineral spine that lifts the wine and carries its freshness to a long herb-and-mineral infused finish. Fresh and bracing, enjoy this now and over the coming two years with oysters, periwinkles, mild sheep’s milk cheeses, and rosemary-scented roast chicken.

Les Princes Abbés (the abbot princes) is the great Schlumberger domaine’s line of classic Alsatian varietals. Schlumberger’s 2005 is a textbook example Pinot Gris from its premier region. The wine begins with a deep gold color with glints of pink from the Pinot Gris’ magenta skins. The wine’s nose is deep and intense, casting notes of honeydew melon, smoke, yellow peaches and spicy botrytis. On the palate, the wine is rich and oily, showing nuances of ripe melon, quince paste, pine nuts, candied bitter orange peel and preserved kumquat. The wine’s finish is long and brisk, featuring balancing citrus acidity, smoky botrytis, stony minerality and ripe Mirabelle plums. Enjoyable now, the Princes Abbés Pinot Gris will age beautifully for another three to seven years. Pair with grilled salmon, sturgeon, Alsatian casseroles, charcuterie, pâtés and quiches.

Once rare and nearly forgotten, Piedmont’s most distinctive white varietal has staged a remarkable comeback and is now getting the attention it justly deserves. In the early 1970s, Fillipo Gallino was one of Arneis’ pioneers in Piedmont’s Roero district. His experience and deftness with this fickle varietal is evident is this brisk, fresh and delicious 2007 bottling. Arneis’ beguiling aromas of creamy gardenia blossoms and sweet almonds are captured beautifully in Gallino’s crisp, zesty 2007. Pale gold with brilliant green glints, Gallino’s Arneis shows taut minerality alongside notes of lemon zest, crunchy honeydew melon and chamomile. Tight and minerally on the attack, the Arneis broadens on the palate with clean, citrus fruit before finishing bright and lively with further notes of fresh white flowers, smoky minerals and hints of sweet almonds. Serve Gallino’s Arneis all by itself or pair it with light fish dishes and pastas with delicate white sauces. As with all Arneis, enjoy this young to capture the wine’s delicacy, crispness and floral aromatics.

Orvieto, one of Umbria’s most renowned white wines, is at its best when made from fruit grown on volcanic “tuffeau” soil in its Classico zone. From a blend of Procanico, Grechetto, Verdello, Drupeggio and Malvasia comes this elegant, dry and aromatic Umbrian bianco. A lovely pale straw color in the glass, the Barbi Orvieto opens with aromas of lime zest, crushed stones and fresh sweet basil. Brisk and zippy on the palate, the wine conveys notes of freshly squeezed lemon juice, Bartlett pears, white tea and meadow flowers. On the finish, the Barbi Orvieto is long, dry and persistent, adding notes of menthol, bitter almond skin and smoky minerals. Try this textbook Orvieto now for all its youthful charm with shellfish, freshwater fish dishes, light poultry preparations and light vegetarian fare.

New Zealand’s Marlborough region is fast becoming the reference point for New World Sauvignon Blanc. Among its finest producers is Goldwater, who for the past fifteen years has been crafting some of Marlborough’s most balanced and affordable renditions. Goldwater’s ’06 offering opens with a green-gold color and gorgeous aromas of kiwi, mango, white pepper and freshly cut grass. Clean, zippy and marvelously balanced on the palate, the Goldwater adds notes of gooseberries, pineapple and honeydew melon. Brisk acidity and a refreshing lack of oak influence make the Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc a superb choice in warm weather white wines. Pair with freshwater fish, shellfish, delicately prepared vegetables, poultry, even pork.